No.16854, Private, William Victor HOUGHTON
Aged 32
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William Victor Houghton was born in Isleham in 1884 (Newmarket Q4-1884 3B:547) 2nd son of Robert and Elizabeth HOUGHTON (née WEBBER).
1891 census...Aged 7, he was at Waterside Drove, Isleham with his father Robert HOUGHTON [40] a gardener's labourer; his mother Elizabeth [34] and brothers Robert [9], Christopher [4] and Bertie [1]. The entire family were born in Isleham. 1901 census...Aged 16,( Victor W.) a farm labourer, he was at Hives Drove, Isleham with his parents, sister Minnie [21], brothers Robert and Christopher (both farm labourers) and Bertie. Also new siblings, brothers Joseph [8] and John [2] and sister Julie E. [4] all born in Isleham. 1911 census...Aged 26, Victor was a farm labourer, at Hives Drove,Isleham, with his parents, brothers Bertie and Joseph (both farm labourers) and Bertie and his sister Julia. He was an elder brother of Christopher Houghton who was killed at Le Cateau in August 1914. see here |
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Enlisted in Ely. The 11th Suffolks, together with the 8th Suffolks were the only battalions of the Suffolks involved in the 1st day of the Somme. The 11th suffered the heaviest casualties in the 34th Division. Moving out from Becourt Wood at 5 am towards their jumping off point, the giant mine at Lochnagar was exploded at 7:28 (80,000 lbs of ammonal) and two minutes later the attack began. Their line of advance was through the centre of Bailiff Wood. The enemy in La Boiselle were stronger than had been thought and the Suffolks were quickly cut down by machine gun fire. It was effectively all over for them by 8 am. All day wounded lay out looking for a chance to crawl back. Some valiant souls still tried to advance, a pitiful few reaching the German wire. The total casualties for the 11th Suffolks were put at 189 killed on 1st July, of these 148 have no known grave. |
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